Pearson is hoping to affect triple signing to boost squad

HULL CITY will this week step up their recruitment drive with a hat-trick of signings, the Yorkshire Post understands.

Tigers manager Nigel Pearson is desperate to augment his squad with some experience and sees Nottingham Forest pair Dele Adebola and Paul McKenna as ideal additions.

Both are available on free transfers and have been in talks with Hull for several weeks about a switch to the KC Stadium.

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The other new arrival is expected to be Jack Hobbs, the Leicester City defender who spent the final three months of last season on loan with Hull.

A bid of £850,000 has been accepted by the Foxes and, again, Hull officials are expecting to be able to unveil 21-year-old Hobbs’s capture later this week.

The impending arrival of three new signings to add to the May capture of Manchester United duo Joe Dudgeon and Corry Evans is a major boost for the Tigers, who yesterday missed out on their No 1 midfield target when Neil Danns agreed a three-year deal at the Walkers Stadium.

Nigel Pearson wanted 28-year-old Danns, whose contract at Crystal Palace was due to run out on Thursday, and is understood to have had a bid of £500,000 turned down by the London club last January.

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Scottish champions Rangers were also believed to be interested in Danns but Leicester’s financial muscle proved decisive.

The Foxes, who have already signed Huddersfield Town’s Lee Peltier and Kasper Schmeichel of Leeds United in seven-figure deals this summer, are determined to push the boat out to win promotion this term and have agreed a fee with Peterborough United for Craig Mackail-Smith.

Posh director of football Barry Fry confirmed yesterday that the bid, believed to be around £3m, had been accepted for the midfielder, while also adding that talks had also taken place with West Ham United over a player who netted 35 goals last season in League One.

Another player on the Hammers’ radar is believed to be Max Gradel, the Leeds United wideman who has 12 months remaining on his Elland Road contract.

The 23-year-old, bought from Leicester for £200,000, netted 18 goals last season and was named as United’s Player of the Year. He has also been linked with Fulham and Swansea City in recent weeks.